5 Fun Family Things to do in Burlington

Day 1

Recently I was invited to participate in a tour of Burlington, Ontario. While not paid to write this review, I was able to sample services and products from the area. It was a most enjoyable trip.

Waterfront Hotel guest services notions

I stayed in the Waterfront Hotel at the end of Brant Street. The view from my room was spectacular. I could see the lake right out my window. The staff was friendly and the room clean and nicely appointed. There were big fluffy pillows to sink into at the end of my first day’s adventure. They even had a makeup remover cloth in the bathroom with the other Neutrogena products. (Which was great since I forgot to bring these!)

1. Royal Botanical Garden & Teahouse

We began our journey with lunch at the Royal Botanical Garden’s Teahouse. There was a lovely fresh selection of meals to choose from including turkey wrap, quiche, tea sandwiches, soup and salads. I picked the wrap. I would like to bring my kids back for a proper tea party one day.

Delicious turkey club wrap at the RBG Teahouse

And of course, biscuits, Devonshire cream and strawberry preserves for dessert:

Proper English tea scones

Even though it was quite rainy, I decided to wander around the grounds – after all, the plants like the rain just as much as I do.

I found flowers and sculpture scattered throughout. There is a veggie garden, medicinal plants garden, nature sanctuaries, 27 km of trails, canoe launches, benches and ponds throughout. Too many to list here. This link will take you to the main page.

There was also a trio of musicians playing classical music to add to the ambiance. It would be lovely to sit there with a coffee and daydream the hours away.

Dreamy garden treasures

I felt profoundly moved by this piece of art. It makes me think that we are all made up of boxes that we put our “selves” in. I am still wondering what I have in my box.

Generations Edwin and Veronica, Dam de Nogales, (Canada/Spain)

Every year the gardens are populated with magical fairy beings. Magic and Mischief: An Enchanted Garden Weekend. This year it is scheduled for the August 1st weekend. I’d love to bring some young kids to that.

This is the kind of place you can bring your family to for the entire day and discover new surprises the whole time. Absolutely wonderful.

2. Burlington Museum – Ireland House

This was a good choice for a rainy day. Showcasing three generations of the Ireland family since 1837 we saw how fellow Canadians lived, loved and disposed of their garbage. Seriously. Apparently back in the day, people buried their garbage on their property starting close to their houses and moving outward.

This is quite a thought. Imagine today if we had to bury our garbage on our property. It would be interesting to say the least. (Garbage disposal is definitely a modern convenience I appreciate.)

In the case of the Ireland family, when the last family member passed away and the property was sold to the government, the first thing historians did was to excavate around the perimeter of the property. In the ‘garbage’ they uncovered 5000 artifacts, many of which are on display at the house.

Saving the best for last I present: Double Chocolate Brownie. This blew me away – the restaurant manager had been coming out with each course explaining how they made everything. I tried really hard to pay attention but when these dishes appeared I could barely contain my drool much less take notes. I was very surprised at how willing the staff was to tell us what ingredients they used and how to make it. No secrecy at all. This was very refreshing.

Here is what I can tell you: they put all sorts of amazing chocolatey good stuff in a pan, melt it so there is a practically pure chocolate crust, then dump the brownie mix over top. Baked, served with amazing vanilla bean ice cream, and home made caramel sauce. OMG! I would like to coin a new hashtag just for this dish – #GastroGasm.

Hi! My name is Carin.

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I love to share what I learn about interesting things and write about lots of 'stuff' including places to visit, eat, and play. You'll also find things related to my family. I guess you could call this a 'blog' but I prefer to think of it as my online journal. Feel free to look around and if you have any comments or an idea about something you'd like me to write about, give me a shout! I'm always looking for new opportunities. Have an eclectic day! (Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email.)